Draft rigging



June 19, 1934. o. s. BARROWS 8,

DRAFT RIGGING Filed Sept. 1Q. 1929 Zlvwantoa Patented June 19, 1934PATENT OFFICE DRAFT RIGGING Donald S. llarrows, Rochester, N. Y.,assignor to The Symmgton Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation ofMaryland Application September 10, 1929, Serial No. 391,594

12 Claims.

This invention relates to cushioning mechanism and, more particularly tospring and friction draft gears especially adapted for use on railwayvehicles.

The principal object of my invention, generally considered, is toprovide friction cushioning mechanism especially adapted for railwayservice and constructed to interchange with Farlow two key twin draftgears and associated follower blocks or for supplemental use with otherdraft gear.

Another object of my invention is to provide cushioning mechanisminvolving an enclosing housing or casing provided with an intermediatewall or longitudinal partition forming two compartments with a pair offriction elements or wedges in each compartment, one elementfrictionally engaging the partition, and the other the opposite wall ofthe compartment with re-.

silient means between said elements for urging them apart, and releasesprings engaging an intermediate follower associated with the inner endsof said friction elements for efiecting release of the mechanism.

A further object of my invention is to provide cushioning mechanism forrailway vehicles involving friction elements, the frictional capacity ofsaid mechanism being increased by employing a partition with inclinedfriction surfaces and auxiliary friction elements or wedges engagingsaid partition, in addition to corresponding elements engaging the sidewalls of said casing.

A still further object of my invention is to provide cushioningmechanism involving twin friction draft gears disposed on either side ofa slotted partition in an enclosing housing or casing.

Other objects and advantages of the invention relating to the particulararrangement and construction of the various parts will become apparentas the descriptionproceeds.

Referring to the drawing illustrating my invention, the scope whereof isdefined by the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a partial side elevation and partial there is shown acushioning mechanism or draft gear 1 particularly adapted for use onrailway vehicles and preferably designed so that it will fit into adraft gear pocket of usual size, it being understood, however, that I donot wish 0 to be limited to this use. In the embodiment shown, the gearis adapted as a substitute for twin spring gear or as supplemental toother draft gear, but it is obvious that I do not wish to be limited tothis use or the exact construction 5 shown.

In the present embodiment, the gear involves a spring barrel or casing 2adapted to serve not only as a container for resilient means, such asthe helical release springs 3, but is also preferably provided with alongitudinal partition or other separating means 4 preferably slottedalong with the connected side walls 5 at 6 to provide for the receptionof a connecting draft key (not shown). functions as a combined casingand front follower when used with Farlow two key draft rigging. Althoughno coupler engaging lug, as is customary on the standard front followerused with Farlow rigging, is illustrated, it will be clear 30 that, ifdesired, such a lug may be employed, especially if the mechanism is usedby itself or located immediately adjacent the butt of a coupler.Although the single ended mechanism illustrated has a barrel or casing 2preferably 5 formed with a wall 7 closing the front or one end thereofon which such a coupler engaging lug may be formed, yet I do not wish tobe limited to this disclosure.

The partition 4 in the embodiment shown di-' vides the casing into twocompartments 8. Although when used with a horizontal yoke and Farlowattachments, these compartments are upper and lower compartments, itwill be clear that the gear may be used in other positions as 5 desired,so that the compartments are not necessarilyin the positions described.In each compartment there is preferably disposed a pair of frictionelements, one of which is a wedge 9 with outer inclined, generally fiat,friction surfaces 10 engaging correspondingly inclined, generally flat,surfaces 11 on the corresponding walls 12 of the housing, which walls,in the present embodiment, are upper and lower walls.

In order to provide for interlocking between the wedges 9 and the casing2, the inclined friction surfaces ,11 on the casing preferably haveshoulders 13 at their inner ends and each wedge is desirably formed witha lug 14 engaging the corresponding shoulder for limiting outward move-In this way, the casing or housing 2 75 ment of the wedge with respectto the housing. The associated friction element or wedge is desirablythinner than the corresponding wedge 9 and has an inclined, generallyfiat, friction surface 16 engaging the correspondingly inclined,generally flat, friction surface 17 on the partition 4. These engagingfriction surfaces are desirably longitudinal and slightly convergingtoward one another as they approach the adjacent end of the casing 2.Outward movement of the friction element or wedge 15 with respect to thepartition 4 is preferably limited in a similar manner to the movement ofthe wedge 9 as by means of a shoulder 18 cooperating with a lug 19 onthe inner end of the wedge 15. In order to hold the friction elements orwedges 9 and 15 in frictional engagement with the corresponding portionsof the casing, resilient means such as curved plate springs 20 areprovided between each pair of friction elements 9 and 15.

To effect release of the mechanism, an inter- I mediate follower 21 ispreferably disposed between the inner ends of the wedges 9 and 15 at theadjacent ends of the release springs 3, two of which are preferablyprovided in each compartment 8. In order to provide for properlypositioning the springs 3, the walls 12 of the casing are preferablyinwardly embossed or corrugated, as indicated at 22, to more closelyengage the sides of said springs. In order to provide for smoothness ofoperation and avoid sticking, some or all of the friction elements andfriction portions of the casing are provided with lead inserts 23 orother means for effecting the purpose.

Associated with the ends of the friction elements 9 and 15, whichnormally extend out of the casing 2, is a follower 24 of any usual ordesired character. Movement of the follower toward the casing effectsclosure of the gear and compression of the springs as will beunderstood. This movement is not only limited by engagement with theside walls of the casing, but also preferablyby engagement with thepartition 4.

From the foregoing disclosure, it will be seen that I have devisedcushioning mechanism in which the housing or barrel thereof is alsoadapted to function as a front follower and receive a connecting draftkey. 'The partition, which is slotted for receiving such a key, not onlyfunctions to strengthen the casing, but also to provide additionalinclined friction surfaces for increasing the frictional capacity of thegear. The partition is preferably extended to approximately the end ofthe casing to assist the side walls thereof in limiting closure of thegear. The relatively movable friction elements are desirably formed withshoulders interlocking with corresponding portions on the casing. Inassembling the gear, the intermediate follower is slipped into placeover the release springs, the friction elements or wedges being thenplaced in position and the plate springs finally inserted therebetweenwhen the wedges will be locked in place, as illustrated.

Although a preferred embodiment of my invention has been disclosed, itwill be understood that modifications may be made within the spirit andscope of my invention as defined by the appended claims. Although thefriction surfaces on the wedges 15 are shown inclined at a smaller anglethan those on the wedges 9, it will be understood that the inclinationof these friction surfaces may be varied within the broad scope of theinvention.

Having now described my invention, I claim:'

1. Cushioning mechanism for use with railway walls being disposed at adifferent angle to the eeaoes draft rigging comprising a casing, alongitudinal partition dividing said casing and provided with outwardlyconverging, generally flat, friction surfaces, one end of said casingbeing formed with generally flat, friction surfaces on side wallsthereof, said surfaces diverging outwardly and disposed at an angle toone another different than the angle between the friction surfaces ofthe partition, wedges engaging said surfaces, resilient means disposedbetween said wedges, and intermediate wedges disposed between saidresilient means and the inclined friction surfaces on said partition.

2. Cushioning mechanism for use with railway draft rigging comprising acasing closed at one end and open at the other, said open end beingprovided with generally fiat friction surfaces on a pair of oppositeside walls and on an intermediate wall, the friction surfaces on theside axis of the casing than those on the intermediate wall, wedgesengaging all of said surfaces, and resilient means disposed betweenadjacent wedges on opposite sides of said intermediate wall.

3. Cushioning mechanism for use with railwaylOO draft rigging comprisinga casing, a longitudinal partition dividing said casing intocompartments, 2. pair of wedges in each compartment with frictionsurfaces inclined at different angles and respectively engaginggenerally flat surfaces on an outer wall and the partition thereof, andresilient means disposed between the wedges in each compartment forholding said members in frictional contact with said casing.

l. Cushioning mechanism comprising a casing, a partition dividing saidcasing into two transversely spaced compartments, a pair of frictionelements in each compartment, said elements and the engaging portions ofthe casing having correspondingly inclined, generally fiat, frictionsurfaces, the inclination of the friction surface at one side of eachcompartment being different from that at the other side, and resilientmeans disposed between said friction elements in each compartment.

5. Cushioning mechanism comprising a casing,

a longitudinal partition dividing said casing into two compartments,opposite side walls of said casing at one end having outwardly divergingfriction surfaces, the corresponding end of said partition being formedwith friction surfaces outwardly converging at an angle different thanthe angle of the outwardly diverging surfaces, a pair of wedges in' eachcompartment respectively engaging the friction surfaces on the sidewalls and partition of the casing, said wedges being formed with lugsadjacent their inner ends engaging corresponding shoulders on saidcasing and partition. to limit outward movement of said wedges, andresilient means disposed between each. pair of wedges in thecompartments for holding them in frictional engagement with thecorresponding portions of the casing.

6. Cushioning mechanism comprising a casing having side walls providinginclined friction surfaces, and a longitudinal partition dividing saidcasing into compartments, one end portion of the partition .bein taperedtoward the end of the casing having said inclined friction surfaces forincreasing the frictional capacity of the mechanism, the inclination ofthe friction surfaces on the partition being less than the inclinationof the corresponding'friction surfaces on the casing.

7. Cushioning mechanism comprising a housing provided with awedge-shaped partition providing friction surfaces inclined at arelatively small angle, the walls of said housing opposite said inclinedfriction surfaces being inclined to provide other friction surfacesdisposed at a greater angle with respect to the longitudinal center lineof the mechanism.

8. A housing for cushioning mechanism comprising a pair of side wallswith inner inclined friction surfaces, and a wall dividing the spacebetween said side walls into two compartments,- said wall havingsurfaces inclined at a smaller angle than, and disposed opposite to thefriction surfaces of, the side walls and formed with a slot passingthrough said housing inwardly of said friction surfaces.

9. Cushioning mechanism comprising a 'casing, a longitudinal partitiondividing said easing into two compartments, a pair of wedges in eachcompartment, the wedges of each pair comprising a thin solid wedgehaving a friction surface disposed at a small angle to the longitudinalaxis of the mechanism and a thicker hollow wedge having a frictionsurface disposed at an angle greater than that of the solid wedgefriction surface and one engaging a generally flat friction surface ofcorresponding angularity on the partition and the other engaging theopposite. wall of the compartment having a friction surface disposed ata corresponding angle, an intermediate follower in. each compartmentnormally engaging the inner ends of said wedges,.a set of plate springsdisposed between a pair of wedges on one side of thepartition, andcurved -concavely toward the hollow wedge, for holding them infrictional engagement with the corresponding parts of the casing, a setof plate springs disposed between the other pair of wedges and curvedconcavely' toward the hollow wedge for holding them in frictionalengagement with the corresponding parts of the casing, and releasespring means engaging said intermediate followers for urging said wedgesoutwardly of said casing.

10. Cushioning mechanism comprising a casing one end of which is formedwith inclined friction surfaces, a longitudinal partition integral withand dividing said easing into compartments for substantially the fulllength thereof, one end of said partition being provided with inclined,generally flat, friction surfaces, longitudinally converging at an angledifferent from that of the casing friction surfaces, said casing beingslotted with the slot extending through that portion of said partitioninwardly of the friction surfaces for the reception of a connectingdraft key.

11. Cushioning mechanism comprising a casing, one end of which is formedwith inclined, generally flat, friction-surfaces, friction elementsengaging said surfaces, resilient means engaging said elements to holdthem in contact with said surfaces, friction wedges, thinner than thefriction elements, disposed on the other sides of said resilient meansfrom said friction elements, and separator means between said wedgesformed with friction surfaces inclined at anangle dif- .ferent from thatof the friction surfaces on 'th casing and movable with said casing. 12.Cushioning mechanism comprising a casing closedat' oneend and open atthe other, said open end being provided with outwardly flaring portions,wedge means normally disposed in engagement with generally flat surfacesofsaid portions, resilient means disposed between said wedge means, andother wedges holding said resilient means and spaced apart by an elementhaving frictionsurfaces outwardly converging at an angle different fromthat of the flaring portions and movablewith said casing.

DONALD s. 'BARROWS.

